1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to sport and, in particular, to a new version of the soccer game, named SOCCER-AM. SOCCER-AM means, American Soccer, a combination in latin form, of the words: Soccer and American.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Soccer is proclaimed to be one of the world's most popular sports. Statistics indicate estimated television audience to be in excess of one billion viewers per year. In 1967 a great campaign was launched to make soccer popular in the United States by contracting with famous players from abroad: Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Italy, etc.
General expectations were extremely high. Unfortunately, soccer did not deliver to the American public the anticipated degree of excitement.
One of the reasons can be found in that, soccer players need to be more enthusiastic and require higher motivation in the field of play.
The public is particularly eager to witness higher goal scoring. In practicing the game of soccer, players are trained not only to shoot the ball into the goal, but also to accurately kick the ball into a selected location of the goal opening.
3. Summary of the Invention
The proposed invention relates to a new version of game soccer named SOCCER-AM.
SOCCER-AM has been developed for both entertainment and competition. It is aimed to achieving a greater soccer spectacle by motivating the players to be more enthusiastic in field of play, and having them achieve more frequent goals.
As a game in field of play, SOCCER-AM is the same as soccer. The difference is that SOCCER-AM provides an additional small soccer goal, named "ball rebounder". This unit is installed at the top of each of the two soccer goals, creating an opening space free of a goal-keeper.
The location and size of the two soccer goals is to remain unchanged. The height of this ball rebounder (the additional goal) is 2 feet and 8 inches: 1/3 of the height of the 8 foot soccer goal. The height of each of the two SOCCER-AM goals is 10 feet and 8 inches. An additional 10 inches have to be added to this height, the depth of the two cross-bars (lower and upper). The total height of each of the two identical Soccer-Am goals is 11 feet and 6 inches. The width of the additional goal (ball rebounder) is the same as the width of the soccer goal.
The ball rebounder comprises a cross-bar, two goal posts, a horizontal net support, two parabolic net supports connected to the goal-post, a net connected thereto thus defining a goal space and is made of the same materials, quality and size as for soccer goal. Each of the two parabolic net supports, connected to the goal posts, is connected at the end of the horizontal net support. This structure forms a Ball Rebounder with a net which is tapered inward, toward the horizontal net support, 3 feet in depth.
In field of play, SOCCER-AM applies the same rules and regulations provided by the F.I.F.A. for general soccer games, except, LAW #1(6)-THE GOAL, and LAW #10-THE METHOD OF SCORING.
______________________________________ LAW #1(6) The Goal in Soccer 8 yards wide and 8 feet high is replaced by: LAW #1(6S) THE GOAL IN SOCCER-AM 8 yards wide and 11 feet and 6 inches high LAW #10 The Method of Scoring in Soccer is replaced by: LAW #10(S) THE METHOD OF SCORING IN SOCCER-AM ______________________________________